Lytare Take 2
by Stray-89
Summary: Harry and friends return to Hogwarts for their eighth year, but something is different. The Lytare are back. Post DH, Pre Epilogue HP/DM Creature fic. Warnings: M/M, Mpreg, fluff  at times , OC's, language.
1. Chapter 1

Authors note: I recently read over Lytare, and discovered that, wow have I changed and developed a lot as a writer in the 6 years since posting the first chapter. I found myself unable to rewrite/edit Lytare enough to feel like I could take it anywhere new after so long. Lytare 2.0 isn't a continuation of Lytare; it is a completely new story, sort of. Similar theme of creature fic, and still Harry/Draco, but hopefully I will be able to make this a much more interesting read than before. It will be set Post Deathly Hallows, Pre Epilogue. I hope that you all enjoy the new version of Lytare as much as you did the first.

Summary: After the war, Harry and his friends return to Hogwarts for their eighth year. All too soon it is discovered that there is something different about Harry, especially when he collapses on the Hogwarts express and Draco refuses to leave his side. The Lytare are back. A Post DH, Pre Epilogue HP/DM Creature fic. Warnings: M/M, Mpreg, fluff (at times), OC's, language.

Disclaimer: None of the recognisable characters belong to me. I don't own anything, however much I wish I did.

Chapter 1

Harry placed his shrunken trunk into the pocket of his jeans and walked out of his London flat, closing and locking the door behind him. He wouldn't be back until the end of the school year. Harry walked along the road, and down onto the tube at Highbury & Islington. He could have just apparated, but it was only one stop on the tube, and it would be his last look at the Muggle London he had come to love and appreciate over the summer. It was his refuge from funerals, memorial services, and the reporters who followed him everywhere in the wizarding world.

They had followed him as he walked through the ministry towards the many trials he stood as witness on. Most he was happy to send the accused straight to the newly formed Azkaban prison. But two trials in particular his testimony was what granted the accused a pardon, and for that he was grateful. The Malfoys. He had told the wizengamot of how Narcissia had risked her own life, to lie to Voldemort, in order to get back to the castle. As Narcissa was not a marked death eater, she was given a full pardon. Draco, on the other hand, had the dark mark burned into his left forearm. Harry told the wizengamot how Draco had refused to kill Dumbledore, and that Voldemort had held his family hostage, threatening his mother's life if Draco refused to cooperate. Harry told how Draco had saved his life. Draco had been granted a full pardon, after the ruling had been called, Harry had walked over to Draco Malfoy. And handed him back his hawthorn wand. A truce drawn between them. After all, there were more important things to worry about now, after all, forgiveness was what mattered in their post war world.

Harry got off the tube at Kings Cross, he made his way up through the crowds and over to the train platform. On the way he stopped at a little cafe and bought a packaged sandwich after all, sweets, cauldron cakes and pumpkin pasties were all well and good, but Harry knew that he would surely need more to eat than that on the long journey to Scotland, and Hogwarts. Harry left the cafe, holding the little plastic bag with his lunch in it; he made his way over to the 9-10 platform and as he walked he thought of what was to come that year.

After the battle of Hogwarts and the end of the war, Hogwarts had closed. Over the summer students were invited to take tests at the school to determine where they would be placed for the new school year that September. Many of the students needed to repeat the year, and no shame was placed among them, after all worrying for your family, and about the death eaters on staff didn't make for a particularly conducive study environment. There were students who should have completed their seventh year the previous spring. Some like Harry, Ron and Hermione, had not even attended, and others like Neville, had been unable to complete their NEWT's. All were to be welcomed back.

Harry calmly walked through the barrier and onto Platform 9 & ¾, ignoring all the students and families alike who stared at him. As he cleared the barrier, Harry started to feel a strange buzzing in the back of his head, and a fluttering in his stomach. Casting aside these feelings as just last year at school nerves, he continued onwards down the platform. Waiting and ready to be filled with students was the bright red Hogwarts Express, some carriages already filling up with excited students, both those who would be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the first time, and all those in the years above. It would be an interesting year at the school, especially with so many first years to contend with.

Once on the platform, and therefore out of the way of the muggles, Harry shrunk his bag of lunch and placed it in his pocket, next to his shrunken trunk. His beloved wand stowed away up the sleeve of his neat button up shirt, he continued up the platform.

Harry could see the Weasley family up ahead and made his way over to them. Harry often worried that it would be awkward with the Weasleys now that he and Ginny we not together anymore. But it never was. Ginny had moved onto other guys, guys who she could have a relationship with and not be in the public eye every second. And Harry liked it much better this way, it made his life less complicated, and it ensured that his friendship with Ron would never be troubled by a break up mess.

"Hello everyone!"Harry greeted the group with a smile, feeling the fluttering in his stomach increase.

"Harry dear," Molly Weasley said, "How are you? Have you been eating well?"

"Of course I've been eating well Mrs. Weasley, I ate at the burrow just last night!" Harry replied with a smile, ignoring the strange feeling running through his head.

"Have you seen Hermione yet?"Harry asked Ron

"No, not yet. I got an owl from her last night, saying that she would be here. She only just got back from Australia with her parents a few days ago. They came the Muggle way; I don't know how they make those things fly without magic. Hermione hasn't said anything about how they are coping yet, the whole memory thing was a lot to handle I would think." Ron replied quietly

"Well there is still plenty of time; the train doesn't leave for another half hour yet." Harry said, "More time than we have ever allowed ourselves before." Harry and Ron shared a look, remembering the innocent misadventures of their youth, especially the car incident.

Harry stood with the Weasley family, watching the students, and their families saying good bye. As the large pewter clock that hung above the platform ticked closer to 11 o'clock, the fluttering in Harry's stomach worsened. He began to rub slow soothing circles on his stomach, trying to massage the intense fluttering away.

"Harry?"asked Ron, "Are you feeling alright?"

"What?"Harry replied, "I'm fine."

"Then why are you rubbing your stomach like that?"Ron gestured towards Harry who was still rubbing circles on his stomach.

"Oh," said Harry "I just feel a little off, I'm sure it will pass. Must be just nerves or something. You know, last year and all." Despite Ron's attention, Harry continued with the ministrations on his stomach.

"Mmm," Ron replied with a sigh, "Must be, it's going to be a big year this year. But on the up side, there are no pain in the arse Dark Lords to hunt down and kill. That should make it a whole lot easier to pass our NEWT's."

"I couldn't agree more."A voice said from behind them. It was a Hermione, arrived just in time to catch the Hogwarts Express, "There is just so much we still have to learn this year, I know that we have a lot of experience in some areas, but we still need our NEWT's to go anywhere with a career!"

"Is that all you have to say to your boyfriend?"Ron said, "I haven't seen you since Harry's birthday party and all you have to say for yourself is that we have to study? Typical."

Hermione grinned and wrapped her arms around Ron's neck, hugging him close and kissing him lightly. She pulled back and rested their foreheads together. "I did miss you Ron, everyday."

"That's enough of that Ronnie, quick, come on, onto the train with you." Mrs. Weasley called. She hugged Harry, Hermione, and then Ron and Ginny. "Quickly now, get on."

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny boarded the train, Ginny wandered off to look for her year mates and the trio began to look for a compartment. The train seemed full to bursting already, with a new year of first years, and the extra seventh years there were more students than Harry had ever seen on the train before. Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way towards the end of the train, hoping that there would be an empty compartment further back.

"Quick, lets just go in this one." Harry said, pointing to a nearly empty compartment, feeling a need to sit down, or sleep.

The three walked into the compartment, the sole occupant turned to face them. Harry took a deep breath, and sniffed. There was something different about the young man before him, and while it somewhat calmed the buzzing in his head, the fluttering in his stomach surged, his insides quivering painfully. Harry looked closer, trying to spot what the change was in the man before him. His hair was the same white and gold blonde that it had always been, his eyes the same molten silver. His robes were, neat, clean and fashionable, but something was different. Harry could smell it in the air, he took a deep breath, it was intoxicating he took a step further into the compartment, and dropped to his knees.

A/N: I will hopefully keep a few chapters ahead, at the moment I am writing chapter 4. Do let me know if there are any glaringly obvious grammar/spelling errors, I have read over this a heap of times, but things do slip through the cracks. Thanks for reading! Please Review


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: **Thanks everyone for your reviews. Make sure to check your inbox because I may have sent you a reply to your review. I hope to be posting a new chapter every few days while I am on holidays, them probably once a week after that. I am looking for a Beta, so if you have a very solid grasp on both HP canon, and English spelling & grammar, and are interested please let me know in either a review or a message!

Thanks to Lenisa for pointing out a typo in Chapter 1, I've gone back and fixed it.

Disclaimer: None of the recognisable characters belong to me. I don't own anything, this is all for fun and not for profit at all.

Chapter 2

For Draco Malfoy it had been a long and eventful summer. After the battle of Hogwarts, the surviving aurors had captured the Death Eaters, and many of their families who had been known supporters and sympathisers to the Dark Lord. Most of the families were let go as there wasn't the man power left in the ministry to process those who had committed the minor crimes. Due to their last minute change of sides the Malfoys were placed under house arrest, to await their trial.

The trial was scheduled for the start of July, so Draco, Lucius and Narcissa had been locked up in Malfoy Manor for most of May, and all of June. In those two months Draco did what he could to study, but all too often found himself staring out the window and wondering what their trial would bring. He wondered whether Potter would show his face, or leave the Malfoys to rot. Sometimes in these moments a strange fogginess settled over his mind, and he had to shake his head to clear it. Draco felt that there was something coming, that there was something out there that he had to find and claim for his own. Before someone else did.

In the end the trials of the Malfoys had been some of the longest of all the death eaters. Lucius' trial was first, and despite his change in loyalties during the final battle, the facts stood that he was an escaped convict from Azkaban, and had committed many crimes for the Dark Lord. Lucius would be in Azkaban prison for a long time now. Though Azkaban was a changed place it no longer had dementors guarding its criminals, instead they were now guarded by both Aurors and members of the DMLE, it was still a miserable island. But Draco knew that one day, though it was far in the future, his Father would return home.

Draco Malfoy whilst glad that he was not in prison with his father and the other death eaters, and despite their truce, did not like feeling indebted to anyone, especially Harry Potter. Draco had felt resentful and angry that it had taken Potter showing up for his trial, for the Wizengamot to believe his story. And yet he was grateful that the boy who had taken his wand, and torn his family apart, had stood up to the questions posed by the Wizengamot and told the truth. Potter could have easily sent both Draco and his mother to Azkaban prison for life, and yet Potter had proven to the world that when it came down to it, Draco had been a coward, admittedly one that had attempted to save his family, but a coward none the less. The lowest blow came when Potter had approached him after the trial, some of Draco's first steps as a free man after the war.

Potter had stepped up to him, he held out the hawthorn wand that he had taken from Draco during the skirmish at the manor towards the end of the previous March. Potter gestured that should take the wand from him.

When Draco just stared at him, and refused to take the wand Potter had said, "I forgive you Draco. I don't condone what you did. But I can understand feeling that you must complete a task alone. And for this I can forgive you. Your father is going to be in Azkaban prison for a long time, but you and your mother are free now, I can only hope that this wand can return its allegiance to you, it served me well."

Potter had placed the wand in Draco's hand and finished with, "I took this wand with me to face Voldemort, thank you."

Draco had looked Potter in the eyes, and found truth there. Potter no longer held the loathing towards Draco that he had once had. They were not children anymore, and this was a changing world. Draco had to move past old grudges to make a difference in his life. And although it was hard for Draco to do he held his hand out, repeating the motion made on their first train ride to Hogwarts, "Truce Potter? I hear that they are taking students back on at Hogwarts, it's a time for peace."

Potter had placed his hand in Draco's and they shook hands as Potter said "Truce. See you at Hogwarts?"

Draco nodded and said, "See you there Potter."

Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter had walked away from the Ministry of Magic not as friends, but no longer as enemies. Surely, Draco thought to himself later, that was what peace was about.

On the morning of September the first Draco Malfoy woke in his bedroom at Malfoy Manor, feeling the dread of a new school year pool in his belly, worse this year than any before. He would be back amongst those who he had helped to torture the past year, those he had stood against the previous spring. "Things are different now." He said quietly to himself, it would be a different year when Hogwarts began the following day.

Draco had said his quiet goodbyes to his mother in the privacy of their own home; Narcissa did not want to walk amongst the children and families on platform 9 & ¾. Narcissa, despite her bravery in the final battle found herself unable to face the stares of the families, some whose members her husband and son may have tortured or murdered. She would not put herself in a position to be stared at and ridiculed. Narcissa chose to say her goodbyes to her only son in a more private place.

"Draco," Narcissa Malfoy started, "I want you to endeavour to be kind, and I know that it is not in your nature to be forgiving, but please do try. Remember that others will not be so willing to forgive you, to forgive us."Narcissa raised her hand and held it against the cheek of her grown son.

"Yes of course Mother, I understand and will strive to do as you ask." Draco replied, holding his hand against the one resting gently on his cheek, his silver grey eyes looking into the blue eyes of his mother.

"I love you my dragon. I expect to see you home for the Yule. Safe, and whole." Narcissa said quietly, holding his gaze.

"Yes Mother, I shall see you at the Yule." Draco wrapped his arms around his mother and whispered in her ear, "I love you Mother, goodbye."

Draco stepped away, and apparated onto Platform 9 & ¾. It was only 10 o'clock so there was plenty of time before the train departed. Draco walked along the platform and boarded the train, he chose a secluded compartment towards the end, hoping that no one would disturb him during the hours long trip.

Draco settled into the empty compartment, his finger tracing patterns over and over on the red velvet seats. Through the small windows on either side of the door Draco could see those who looked in as they passed, a couple of third years stared at him and he glared. No one dared try and join him. After a time the train was ready to depart, and Draco was looking out the window onto the platform, watching the innocent first years wave good bye to their parents, when the door to the compartment rattled. Draco whipped his head around, smelling at once something almost overwhelming. Something that he wanted desperately, something that he needed, someone who needed him. The door of the compartment slid open and there it was the source of that mouth-wateringly luscious scent.

There in the doorway stood Granger, Weasley and Potter. Draco's eyes slid straight past the first two, paying them no attention at all, they weren't what he was looking for, his eyes settled on Potter. Something seemed to be different about Harry Potter since the last time Draco had seen him. He was the same short young man, head and shoulders shorter than Draco himself. As always his black hair was messy and dishevelled, standing every which way on his head. Potters sparkling emerald green eyes, were staring right into Draco's own. But it was the smell that was definitely coming from Harry Potter that Draco paid the most attention to, tilting his head to the side and sniffing. The scent that seemed to fill his nostrils and spill down into his throat, flowing into his stomach was almost overpowering. The scent was making his skin tingle, and his head seem fuzzy, Draco was unable to tear his eyes away from the young man in the doorway, then Potter took one step forwards and fell to his knees.

Draco took a deep breath, and forced himself to stay stoic and unmoving in his seat. It was difficult when faced with that encompassing scent, and Potter, who for some reason he wanted to be closer to, comfort as him knelt on the floor of the compartment, a soft keening coming from Potter's barely parted lips.

"Harry, oh my gosh. What is it?"Hermione asked quickly kneeling beside Harry and wrapping her arm around him in comfort.

"It's my stomach, it hurts. There's something wrong. I can't make it stop."Harry whispered leaning further forwards, and letting out a moan of pain.

Draco was watching Harry intensely, not taking his eyes off the man on the floor for one moment. Something in the air changed, the scent coming from Potter had changed, and this time there was nothing Draco could do to stop himself from pitching forwards off the seat and onto the floor in front of Harry Potter.

A/N: Thanks for reading! If you spot any mistakes let me know! Please review. :)


	3. Chapter 3

Authors Note: Yes, I did say a few days, which then became a week and a bit. Easter, family, real life it all gets in the way of writing anything really! Thanks for all your reviews, and for coming back to read Lytare again after all this time. I will hopefully be bringing you a new chapter every week, but now that I am back at uni, things might slow down a bit more, we shall see.

I just want to add now that the Lytare are going to be a bit different, many of the characteristics shown by them in Lytare 1 are going to be the same, but there will be a lot of differences. They will still keep the dom/sub relationship, and many physical attributes, but the boys will experience other changes and challenges throughout the story. So the Lytare have evolved a bit, hopefully for the better. All will be revealed in the next few chapters, maybe.

Chapter 3.

Harry coughed, and then let out a whimper. His head was spinning and he couldn't seem to stop it or slow it down. Nothing was making sense and his world felt like it had been tipped upside down. Harry took a deep breath, breathing in the scent that was taking over his body. Harry let the smell of musk and sandalwood take over his senses and give him the awareness to realise where he was.

He was kneeling on all fours on the floor of the compartment. He could feel the hard wood of the floor pressing against his hands and knees, and the six eyes of the others in the compartment watching him carefully. Harry took another deep breath and, his eyes fluttering open, he took his time while sitting up and let out a whimper as the movement caused the pain in his stomach to flare up again.

"Harry, mate what is it?" Ron's voice asked. Ron was looking down at his best friend kneeling on the floor, Harry's hands closing into fists then opening again.

"I, ahh," Harry forced out, "Don't know. But it hurts. And my head is..." Harry trailed off as he felt the calming presence reach out and touch the side of his face. The scent of musk and sandalwood grew even stronger as Draco leaned in closer, breathing the same air as Harry. Feeling the touch of the blonde's hand Harry let out a soft moan, his eyelids fluttering closed. His breathing steadied from gasping uneven breaths to a more steady tempo.

"Malfoy! What on earth are you doing?" Hermione asked loudly, too was afraid of what was taking over Harry.

"Just, just what feels right. What he needs now." Draco said in a soft and far away voice. Draco leaned in closer to the dark haired man. Feeling the touch of a soft cheek against his own; he rubbed his face against Harry's. Draco's eyes closed and he felt that what needed him, and what belonged to him was now in his presence, he felt a look of rapture pass over his features.

"My Vissim," Draco whispered into Harry's ear, not knowing where the word came from, or exactly what it meant, only that it was the right word to describe Harry Potter in that moment

Harry raised his hands, clutched at the front of Draco's robes, and keened, letting Draco pet away the pain that ran through him. Harry breathed in deeply, feeling Draco's scent surround him and flow inside, calming his flaring magic.

"My Nanim." Harry said quietly, leaning further into Draco's calming presence. Knowing that this was the right word to describe just what Draco Malfoy was to him, and knowing that he would be protected by him. Kept safe until he was ready.

"Ron, this isn't right. Something is very wrong," Hermione said quietly, getting up off the floor and moving to sit on the velvet seat of the compartment.

"I can see that Hermione. What is Malfoy doing to Harry?"Ron replied, sitting down next to Hermione.

"I don't know what they are doing, and what did they just call each other?"Hermione shifted over so that she was closer to Ron, so as not to disturb the two men on the floor of the compartment.

Hermione looked towards the two on the floor and said, "Maybe we could separate them, stop this somehow..."

Ron stood up, "Yes, that's what we have to do. Stop this madness, it's bloody Malfoy there, molesting Harry!" Ron took a step forwards, and made to grab Harry by the shoulder and pull him away.

Before Ron's hand could make contact Draco's head snapped up, his eyes shining brilliant swirling silver, his teeth clenched together, and his lips rising up in a snarl. Draco let out a growl in warning and Ron snapped his hand back, quickly moving away from the dangerous looking man. Draco turned his face back to Harry, his expression calming instantly.

"I'll protect you, Vissim, keep you safe." Draco said pressing his face against Harry's. Harry released a contented humming sound from deep in his throat.

"What are we going to do? I don't know what this is," Hermione wrung her hands in thought.

"I have no idea! Hermione, this isn't normal. Come on, think!" Ron said quickly to her, getting exasperated.

"We need to send word to the school, let someone know that this is happening." Hermione said, deep in thought.

Ron looked up quickly and said, "The mirror shard! If we can get it off Harry then we can send word to Aberforth, and he can contact the school. The train is going to beat an owl to Hogwarts anyway."

"Yes, but where is it? Is it still in his moleskin pouch? Does he still wear it?" Hermione asked, firing off the questions quickly and quietly to Ron who had sat back down beside her.

"I don't think that he wears the pouch anymore. I think it reminds him too much of what happened, and I don't think that he really wants reminding." Ron replied.

"So I suppose it must be in his trunk then, but where is it?" Hermione continued

"I don't know, probably shrunk down in his pocket..."Ron paused, and then said, "I don't think that Malfoy is going to let us anywhere near Harry now. What are we going to do?" Ron looked down at the couple on the floor.

In front of Ron and Hermione, Draco was pulling at the collar of Harry's shirt, leaning in and unbuttoning buttons. Draco's face was tilting in to nuzzle at the flesh of Harry's neck, tongue tracing patterns from the base of this neck up to his ear.

"Mine, mine, mine, all mine." Draco was whispering into Harry's ear, as his lips trailed over the shell of the dark haired man's ear, "No one can touch."

"Yes, yours, yours, yours, yours..."Harry chanted back, his eyes starting to roll back, and his breath slowing further still. Harry leaned his head to the side, allowing Draco further access to the pale column of his neck.

Draco buried his face in Harry's neck, feeling one hand grip his hair and the other clasping at his shoulder. Knowing that now was the time, he bit down hard at the juncture of Harry's neck and shoulder, letting the feel and scent of Harry encircle him. Harry's hands slid from his body as he lay Harry down onto his back on the floor of the compartment. His shining green eyes slit shut and his breathing slowed.

A/N: Thanks for reading, I know it was a really short chapter even by my standards, but this was just where I wanted to end it. Maybe a little more anticipation for the next chapter now? Please review! :)


	4. Chapter 4

Hi everyone! I just thought I should let you know that yes I know I am slack, and don't update when I say I will. I have a very mild defence, crappy internet at the moment due to some bad weather. And an overload of uni work at the moment. Especially next few weeks, so I'm going to reward myself with writing new Lytare if I can get my coursework done. :)

I would like to thank my new Beta datura070 who has been super quick at getting the beta-ed chapters back to me, which means I can upload them much faster. (I threw on a bit at the end which I just felt that I should put there, so that hasn't been beta-ed, so blame only me for any mistakes towards the end!)

Chapter 4

Ron and Hermione stood up sharply as Draco laid Harry onto the floor, the dark haired young man still breathing slowly.

"What the fuck have you done to him, Malfoy?" Ron shouted, leaping forward, not noticing the look of anger that settled over Draco's face.

Draco looked up at the red haired man before him, his lips again raised in a snarl. He lifted himself up from where he had been kneeling next to Harry, took one step to place one foot on the other side of Harry's body, and then crouched down again, growling; poised and ready to strike in defence of the body on the floor.

Hermione raised her wand, her eyes flashing in protectiveness as she watched Harry on the floor, barely breathing and half covered by Malfoy. She was ready to stun Malfoy if he made to attack Ron, or put Harry in any more danger. They were her boys.

"Malfoy? What are you doing? Let us see him!" Hermione hissed, staring right into the silver eyes looking up at her.

Draco didn't respond; he only looked back and forth between the two figures standing over him and the body on the floor. Draco crouched lower to the body beneath him, close enough to feel the warmth against his legs, close enough to feel connected.

"Right, Malfoy, that's it."

Ron raised his wand alongside Hermione's, and the two Gryffindors looked at each other and nodded. Hermione watched Ron's lips as they silently formed the words, "Three, two, one."

"Stupefy!" Ron and Hermione said together, the red light of the spell hurtling towards Malfoy.

Draco felt time slow, and his senses become hyper aware. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears and feel his heart beating in his chest. He could see more than just the magic, he could smell the crackle of it as the red light blossomed out of the two wands, taste it in his mouth as it crept across the empty space between the source of the magic and him. In a split second he burst into action.

The light never made contact. In the blink of an eye, Draco had moved both himself, and Harry out of the path of the light. He now stood in the doorway of the compartment, Harry's limp form hoisted over his left shoulder, and his wand in his right hand.

"Bloody hell, Malfoy," Ron said loudly.

Hermione was quick to fire off another stunning spell, but as before Malfoy stepped to the side. Draco Malfoy stared Hermione in the eye and said forcefully, "Mine."

"He isn't yours, Malfoy. He's our friend. We won't allow him to be yours!" Hermione shouted

Draco Malfoy kicked the door open behind him and backed out of the compartment. Hermione and Ron followed not wanting to let Harry out of their sight for a minute.

Before Ron and Hermione could make it out of the door, a large group of First years passed by and blocked their way.

Draco moved swiftly down the narrow passageway of the train, heading for the final carriage. Harry's weight pressed against his shoulder, and what should have been heavy felt incredibly light. Draco's arm was pressed against the backs of Harry's thighs, and his hand curled over and into the fabric of the blue jeans near his face. Draco needed to find a place to hide with his prize until the creature on his shoulder was ready.

Ron and Hermione pushed their way through the group of first years, desperately hoping to catch Malfoy before he got away with Harry. But they were too late, and Draco Malfoy was nowhere to be seen.

"I guess we will have to search the train then?"Ron said to Hermione as they made their way up the carriage.

"Yes, we will," Hermione said determinedly, pausing to look into the compartment they were passing. "Nothing here," she said, continuing up the train.

Ron and Hermione made their way up the train, looking into every compartment that they passed. The two Gryffindors asked the students they passed in the hall if they had seen anything. But they received a negative response each time.

Ron and Hermione eventually came across the compartment where Ginny, Luna, and Neville were sitting. The three friends were seated along one side of the compartment; Neville close to the door, Luna by the window, and Ginny between them. Ron slid the door of the compartment open and looked at the three students sitting across from Neville, Luna, and Ginny. The small first year students gasped as Ron and Hermione stepped into the room.

"Aren't you Harry Potter's friends?" the first one asked, before Ron could get a word out

"The ones who helped him defeat You-Know-Who?" the second asked.

Ron looked at them sharply, "Yes, we are actually. We- argh . . ." He let out a grunt as Hermione elbowed him in the ribs, "Well, yes. But anyway, we have business to attend to. So, mind finding somewhere else to sit? Another compartment would be nice," Ron finished, waving his hands to indicate that the students should leave the compartment.

As Hermione and Ron sat in the seats vacated by the three students, Hermione heaved a sigh, and said, "Hello, Neville, Luna. I would love to be exchanging pleasantries but there is something happening."

"What has Harry gotten himself into this time?" Luna's faraway floaty voice came from near the window.

"How do you know this is about Harry?" Ron asked.

Luna didn't look at Ron as she said, "Has he been taken by a Blibbering Humdinger?"

"No, he has been taken by Draco Malfoy!"Hermione said, looking at Neville and Ginny desperately, as if they could solve the problem that she couldn't.

"What? Why would Malfoy take Harry? The war is over now, he has nothing to gain," Neville said, looking worriedly at Hermione.

"Well, it actually wasn't so much that he was taken by Malfoy, but more like something took over them. It was like they were possessed. They didn't seem to be aware that we were even in the compartment with them until Ron went to touch Harry. Then Malfoy went savage. He probably would have taken Ron's arm off if he had touched Harry. Luckily, he somehow had the sense to move away." Hermione said, letting all the information she had on the situation come out in a rush.

"But there was something even stranger, wasn't there Hermione? What was it that they called each other?" Ron added.

"Oh yes, Harry and Malfoy called each other a strange word or perhaps a name I have never heard before. Nanim and Vissim; do you have any idea what they mean?" Hermione said, before quickly saying, "But all this is irrelevant at the moment. Malfoy has taken Harry somewhere, and practically disappeared from the train as far as we can tell."

"Yes," said Ron, "That's what we want your help for. We have to find them before Malfoy does anything else to Harry!"

"A Nanim is a creature," Luna said to the group, her eyes looking across at Ron and Hermione, but not seeing them, "and so is a Vissim. They are the same creature. My father once spoke about them, but I can't seem to remember anything else he said."

Neville looked at Luna, and asked, "Would you write you father now and ask him?"

"Yes, you do that, while Neville, Ron, and I look for Harry. Ginny can stay with you, and then you can go down to our compartment and use Pig to send the letter," Hermione said, moving to the door and gesturing that Neville should follow her and Ron.

As the others left the compartment, Ginny reached up into her trunk, and pulled out some parchment and a quill. She handed them to Luna, who quickly began to write.

_Dear Father,_

_There seems to be a most interesting occurrence on board the train this year. I have heard that Harry Potter has had some sort of turn or another, and that Draco Malfoy is involved in some way, but how exactly is still a mystery._

_I recalled that you once spoke of a Nanim and a Vissim, would you be able to tell me more about them, and perhaps send any books or articles that you have on the subject._

_A longer letter is following as I arrive at Hogwarts, do not miss me to terribly father._

_Love,_

_Luna _

"There, that should do," Luna handed the parchment to Ginny, who quickly read over the letter and nodded.

Luna took the parchment back, and rolled it up, on the outside she quickly wrote _'Quibbler Office, Xenophilius Lovegood, Editor' _

"Yes, now we go and find Pig. Come on Luna," Ginny left the compartment and headed down the train, Luna following along behind.

Thanks for reading everyone. Please review (they honestly make me write faster!) Until next time.


	5. Chapter 5

Authors Note: Thanks to everyone for being so patient with me taking so long to get this chapter out. I have a few weeks of holidays now so hopefully I will be able to get you a chapter a week at least.

I have had a lot of different perspectives from reviewers, and most of you have been very supportive and are enjoying this rewrite of Lytare. I'm glad you are enjoying the new take on the story. For those of you who are not so keen on the new version, well, sorry you feel that way, but there is no chance of me continuing it. I hope that you will keep reading Take 2 and come to enjoy it as much as the first. I rushed far too much in the original Lytare and in this version I'm taking my time.

Also I am aware that much of this chapter is tell rather than show, but I thought most of you would like me to get on with the more interesting parts of the story.

Thanks to my beta datura070 for helping me with the lay out and order of this chapter, as well as being so quick to get back to me.

Chapter 5

There was a draft coming through the window and Draco quickly moved to plug up the hole, not wanting anything to spoil the place he had found for his treasure. Draco looked over at the slightly stirring body on the floor and stepped over to kneel beside him. His hand resting over the dark haired man's heart, Draco sighed and lowered his ear to press against Harry's chest, listening to the slow, but steady tempo of the heart beating just under his head. It had been such a tedious journey to Hogwarts.

After Draco had taken the two of them out of the compartment, he had moved with such speed that to the world around them they were a blur. It was only because of his mysterious ability to see in almost slow motion when he was so pumped up on adrenaline that they made it well out of sight of the two Gryffindors before they had even left the compartment. Draco had taken Harry up the train, running swiftly through all of the children, moving so quickly that none of them could say if they had seen anything go past. They had made their way up the train and almost to the very front where the Witch who sold sweets from the trolley stored all her goods. She had a compartment to herself which had several convenient cupboards for the two to hide in. Draco had cast a notice-me-not charm on the cupboard and he had sat in the dim light, holding the sweet smelling soft body against his own and wondering how long it would be before he woke up.

It was in this time that Draco had the chance to think about what had happened in the compartment. The whole ordeal had taken less than half an hour from start to finish. And here he was, cradling the body of his once nemesis to his chest and inhaling the intoxicating scent that constantly drifted his way. Although the scent was arousing, Draco knew that now wasn't the time, he would have to wait for exactly the right moment, that however wonderful the scent was he knew that there was something missing from it. The right moment for what exactly though? And what was missing from the scent? These were the questions that drifted through Draco's mind during the several hours of the train journey.

What had happened to him, he didn't know, but something inside of him had certainly changed between being in the passageway of the train to opening the compartment door and catching the scent of the other boy. But what he was exactly still eluded him. Draco thought of all the new features about himself that he had witnessed and came up with a not-surprisingly small list of possibilities. There was the fact that he could smell things that he couldn't before, his vision seemed to have sharpened, and he was stronger. After all, he had lifted the body of another person like it was nothing. He was also much faster, and of course he could say words that he had never heard before or even known what they meant. Although come to think of it, he still didn't really understand what they meant. What were 'Nanim' and 'Vissim' and why did they fit him all of a sudden?

The air in the antechamber to the great hall could have been cut with a knife it was so tense. Ron and Hermione, along with Neville, Luna, and Ginny, were standing with McGonagall in a cluster having just explained what had happened on the train.

"And he just disappeared?" McGonagall said sharply, "It's a train, there are only so many places to go and you say you searched everywhere. Are you sure?"

"Yes," Hermione said, "Every compartment, through the luggage carriage. They seemed to just disappear."

"So they must have jumped off the train then. The question is, where are they now?" McGonagall said grimly, "This is a very strange situation; I have never heard of such a thing happening. Now Lovegood, when do you expect to hear back from your Father about what is happening to the two of them?" McGonagall fixed her stare onto Luna.

Luna held the sharp gaze and replied evenly, "Well, I sent the letter early today, so I would think sometime tonight, or tomorrow. He may have to look it up, and he does still run the Quibbler."

"We will make sure to come straight to you as soon as we find anything out," Hermione said, smiling tightly at McGonagall, "and I will start looking things up in the library right after the feast."

Headmistress McGonagall led the small group out into the main hall, and it was then that the five of them noticed the subtle changes to the hall since the last time they had sat there as students. While the marks had been scrubbed out of the flagstones by the house elves, there was something about the room that said a battle had been fought there. Despite the fact that there had probably been plenty of battles fought in the room, this was one that was remembered by all standing there.

"Take you seats please, and the sorting will begin," McGonagall said to the five students, before moving to stand behind the head table.

There were students missing from all the upper years of all the house tables, most noticeably amongst the Slytherin table, although the students there held their heads high against the looks thrown at them by other students. The youngest ends of the tables were the most populated, having been born at the end of the last war, parents believing that they were safe, that now it was time to have children. There had been a population boom; Hermione noticed that there were twice as many first years standing waiting to be sorted as there had been when she was eleven.

Hermione sat at the top end of the Gryffindor table, Ron beside her, and their year mates, eighth years, around them. It was something that had never happened at Hogwarts before. Hermione watched as the new first years were sorted. They would join those students who had been first years the previous year and had not passed the tests to get into second year. There was no shame on those students; it had happened all over the school and amongst all year levels. A school controlled by death eaters was not a conductive study environment, and many of the teachers had been ill-equipped to teach.

Headmistress McGonagall stood and explained to the first year students how they would be sorted. Professor Sprout, who had taken up the role as Deputy Head stood with the students and began to read out the names of the first years waiting. As the sorting progressed, Hermione watched as sixty seven students were sorted, fifteen to Hufflepuff, eighteen to Ravenclaw, fourteen to Slytherin and twenty to Gryffindor. Hermione sighed as she realised what a big job it would be this year as a prefect, what with these twenty students plus the seven who were remaining first years.

Hermione looked across the table at Ginny, and then glanced beside her at Ron and said quietly, "Did you count? That's twenty seven first year Gryffindors. What are we going to do with them all?"

Ginny looked a little worried; while not Head Girl, she also had been chosen as a prefect that year and as a true seventh year would have a lot to do with helping to organize twenty seven eleven and twelve year olds, as well as the other younger students.

"Hermione, how are they going to be split up? More than ten students to a room seems out of control!"

Ron, in a display of his recently developed maturity replied, "They wouldn't have chosen you for the job if they didn't think you could manage. That said though, this is going to be a bloody nightmare!"

With the sorting now over McGonagall stood again to introduce the new professors. "As you can all see we have a large number or students this year, and because of this, there are a few new professors to introduce you to. Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Defence against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, and Herbology will all now have two professors, one to teach the first through third years and the other for fourth through seventh." McGonagall quickly introduced the eleven new staff members, most of whom would be teaching the younger year levels. "I would also like to re-introduce Professor Sinsitra as the new head of Gryffindor House,"

"And finally, I welcome you all to, or back to, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There has been a large amount of building works going over the summer, however there are still areas where it is unsafe. These areas are clearly marked and it is in the best interests of all students to avoid these locations. But for now, let the feast begin."

Amongst the eighth years were those who had been in the seventh year the previous year, and those who had, for whatever reason not been able to attend the school. They would still be a part of their houses, and earn points towards their own house. However they would all share a common room and were to be divided up randomly two students per room. The Head Girl and Boy were to be chosen from the seventh years and the eighth years would provide an additional three female and three male prefects to assist those from the other houses and year levels. After all, despite the losses in the war, there were more students at Hogwarts than there had been for a good many years, and the dormitories were full to bursting with eleven to fourteen year olds. The eighth year students, as they were all adults, were allowed to leave the castle in the evenings and on any weekend to go to Hogsmeade, or floo from their common room to visit friends, family, and in the case of Mandy Brocklehurst, and Daphne Greengrass, their spouses.

The journey from the train to the castle had been a quick one, holding the still limp body against his own as he ran. Sweeping around the castle and through a side door, unseen by any staff or students he had climbed the stairs up and up to an unused tower and it was here that he laid Harry's body on the ground and began to fret.

Draco stood up, eyes still trained on the body on the floor. He sighed and in a low voice said, "Please wake up, Harry. What are you? What am I? Why aren't you awake? Why?"

Draco looked away from the body on the floor and peeped through one of the few high windows of the old tower, glancing out at the darkened school grounds. He knew that just the day before he would have been able to see very little from this vantage point, but now he could see the few deep scars that marred the ground from the battle three months ago, all the way to the edge of the forest surrounding the castle.

Draco watched as a large dark shape and a much smaller one surged out of the trees and into the night sky. The larger of the two figures doubled back to watch for the smaller one. Thestrals; a mare and foal. There was something about these animals that spent their lives unseen by most of the children in the castle, and indeed most of the adult Wizards in their world. Or at least they had before the war had torn everything apart. The fierce strength and majesty of these creatures made Draco's blood sing like it never had before.

Two years ago he arrived at the castle able to see the creatures for the first time, and he knew then and there that the Thestrals were special, invisible to all innocent eyes, and stark in their features to all those who had witnessed death. And witness death he had. That was the summer his life had been tipped upside down. But that was all over now, in the past, and he hoped that Harry's words from the summer after the battle still held true. That there would be a truce between them, that there would be peace, he hoped.

There was something inside him that cried out for peace between the two of them; it was the same part that had taken over when they were on the train, the same part that seemed to know things about Harry, what he needed, and what the right thing to do was. It was a part that he didn't understand, or know anything about. And that fact made him angry.

Draco turned his back on the soaring Thestrals and once again his eyes fell onto the man on the floor. He took yet another deep breath and let the scent wash over him, calming his anger. Maybe Harry knew what was happening to them. Draco would just have to wait for Harry to wake up.

And he didn't have long to wait.

A/N: Thanks for reading, and I really hope you enjoyed it. I would just love for you to leave me a review, and tell me what you thought.

Don't forget to add to alerts so that you know when the next chapter is posted! :D


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